In conversations with Sheriff Freeland Wood and Tecumseh Public Schools Superintendent Robert Kinsey, regarding the handling of the recent credible threat at Tecumseh High School.
I appreciate Pottawatomie County Sheriff’s Office for their quick and effective response in preventing potential harm in our Tecumseh School. They acted decisively after being alerted by the Federal Bureau Investigation, leading to the apprehension of the suspect and further uncovering of a broader conspiracy. Superintendent Robert Kinsey highlighted the district's commitment to safety, assuring the school takes all threats seriously.
This incident highlights the growing role of social media in grooming kids for violence. Discord servers and gaming platforms are increasingly used by subversive groups who work to recruit and radicalize young people. Parents, please be on the alert. These spaces blend social interaction with exposure to extremist rhetoric and explicit and vulgar content. Let’s love on our children and be good examples.
It’s going to take all of us working together to engage with the young people in our lives at home, church, and school. Cover our schools, staff, teachers, and students in prayer. God sees all and can move to protect when we are oblivious to impending threats.
Background:
On October 12, 2025, a freshman at Tecumseh High School was arrested by the Pottawatomie Sheriff Deputies following a credible threat to "shoot up" the school.
The threat originated from a social media chat room made approximately one month earlier flagged by the FBI as a potential risk. It included threatening language and images of weapons photographed inside a school restroom.
The FBI alerted the Pottawatomie County Sheriff's Office and the investigators quickly identified the male juvenile suspect, executing a search warrant at his residence. He was taken into custody and charged as a juvenile with multiple felonies, including:
- Terroristic threats
- Threatening acts of violence
- Violation of the Computer Crimes Act
- Possession of obscene materials
While in custody, at a juvenile detention center, the teen disclosed that there were at least two other individuals—one in another state and one in a foreign country, who were actively planning similar school shootings. Authorities continue to investigate the full scope of the network, and updates are expected as more details emerge.
In response to the arrest and the teen’s disclosures, Tecumseh Public Schools, following a recommendation from the Sheriff’s Office, closed all campuses on October 13 and 14, coinciding with the start of fall break.